U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

04/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/03/2026 09:07

The Status of FoRB in North Korea: A Conversation with North Korean Escapees

North Korea remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for individuals from all religious backgrounds, particularly for Christians. Organized religion in North Korea has reportedly been almost entirely eliminated. North Korean escapee testimony is the primary and the most important source of information on the Kim regime's violations of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea, yet fewer North Koreans than ever have been able to escape North Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, China has become increasingly complicit in the North Korean government's persecution of religious adherents and practitioners while repatriating North Korean escapees back to North Korea.

On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, Commissioner Rachel Laser speaks with Peter Oh, a journalist with Radio Free Asia, and Illyong Ju, Chair of Tong-il Majoong, a nonprofit faith-based organization dedicated to North Korean human rights.

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom published this content on April 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 03, 2026 at 15:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]